A Ninja's Valentine
by chapellefan
Summary: After the operation, Akira and Takumi celebrate Valentine's day in their own special way. Akira/Takumi. Rated T for mild violence.


**Disclaimer:**I do not own or claim to own Mai Hime. Mai Hime is copyrighted to Sunrise Studios as well as Bandai Entertainment. Please support the official release.

_**A Ninja's Valentine**_

St. Mary's General Hospital wasn't a bad place to stay, considering Takumi's condition. After undergoing major heart surgery, Takumi Tokiha enjoyed his hospitalized stay. For the most part, the staff was considerate as well as courteous and the food was delectable to eat. Akira Onazaki, on the other hand, couldn't wait to leave. A companion of Takumi's, Akira was trained in the ninja arts, which she complained were of no use here. Often she complained about how everything smelled like chlorine and how the white walls and fluorescent lights made her ninja skills impossible to use, save during the night. Still, it was nice to spend some time with Takumi, however detatched it was.

As such, Akira decided to wear more feminine clothing, utilzing such colors as pink. She didn't particularly care for it, but she figured her clan back home wouldn't mind. She wore taut blue jeans, a white button T-shirt with the arms folded up and a light pink vest. Takumi, on the other hand, wore a simple light blue hospital gown. Akira often mocked him for accepting such 'femine' clothing, but Takumi didn't mind. As they sat side by side, Akira sitting in her private chair and Takumi lying in his bed, they had dodged the sensitive subject that had been lingering in both of their minds: Valentine's day.

Normally, Akira would've mocked Takumi at the very idea of romantic presents and might have also called Takumi a wimp. However, Akira wrestled with her own feelings for the boy. Even if he cared far too much and sympathized with others far too easily, Akira couldn't help but _fall _for him. As they sat there, they watched American television, which showed yet another animated sitcom.

"Hey, Akira-kun." Takumi said from his bed. Akira had grown accustomed to being referred to as a male as she had hid her gender for the longest time. "What do you want for Valentine's day?"

The question that had been on both of their minds suddenly presented itself to Akira's face. As a ninja, she had learned to detach herself from worldly possessions. However, part of her wanted Takumi to surprise her with an amazing gift. Still, she had a reputation to keep and she wasn't going to break face any time soon.

"Hmm." Akira grunted as she crossed her arms. "Why would I want anything? You can get yourself a box of chocolates if you want, but I don't need anything."

"Don't be like that, Akira-kun." Takumi said as he leaned in to her face. "I'm sure even you wouldn't mind a present every once in a while."

Akira felt the blood rush to her cheeks, as his smooth skin was inches away from her face. She pulled her eyesight away and continued to deliver the same line again. "I really don't celebrate the holidays as you and your sister do. Besides, objects wouldn't be enough to show you my-" Akira stopped herself in mid-sentence. "_Oh crap!"_ She nearly revealed her emotions to the boy in front of her. She thought of the easiest lie she could think of to deliver to the boy.

"Ninjas aren't allowed to have material possessions, except their weapons." Akira knew that such a lie was blatant and obvious, but she went with it anyway.

"I see." Right away, she saw the disappointment run across Takumi's face. A part of her wanted to let Takumi know she appreciated the idea, but another told her to keep her feelings in check. She had to keep her feelings under control; it was unbecoming of her to be so obvious. As she sat with her lips tightly shut, Takumi broke the silence.

"I'm a bit thirsty. I'm going to get some water." When he began to step out of bed, Akira stood up and stopped him.

"Oh no! You're still too weak to go on walking around. Just stay in bed and don't do anything."

Takumi began to force water out of his eyes and gripped his hands together tightly. "Please, Akira-kun! I'll just go down the hall and be back in a minute. I'll even take my medication with me to be safe."

Akira really hated when he groveled. It was so pathetic and unbecoming of him that she had no choice but to let him out of bed. "Be quick. If you're not back in five minutes, I _will_ find you."

As Takumi got out of his bed, Akira sat in her seat waiting for the boy to come back. She folded her arms and thought about what he had said about presents. Compared to the idea of a romantic relationship, presents were simple to deal with. Akira really wouldn't know how to act in a relationship. The interactions between her father and her various teachers were mostly disciplined and controlled. But with Takumi, Akira felt her strict discipline slip. She acted more casual and friendly towards others. She felt more comfortable towards him. Still, thidea of hand-holding and kissing constantly made her afraid. She could deal with assassins, but Akira could never be that sort of hopeless romantic Takumi expected her to be.

When she noticed six minutes had passed and Takumi still hadn't come back, Akira feared for the worst. She leapt from her chair and ran towards the corridor. Her heart dropped seeing him sprawled on the floor. Quickly, she ran to him and shook him awake.

"Hey. Hey! Wake up, idiot!" When she slapped him across two times, she quickly ran back to the room, grabbed the nearest bottle of water and rushed back to him. She couldn't lose him, not like this. When she finally reached him, she popped the medicine in her mouth instinctively and filled water in her mouth half-way. Then, she quickly pressed her mouth on Takumi's mouth. What happened next shocked her.

Takumi did not die in her arms, nor did her speak weakly to her. Instead, Akira felt his arm press on the back of her head, forcing her lips to continually stay on him. When she noticed this, she pulled herself of of him. After coughing up a mouthful of water, Takumi said with a smile, "Happy Valentine's Day, Akira-kun."

It was then Akira noticed that the pills in his medicine were identical in shape and white in unison. They were placebos, sugar pills, tic-tacs. In ohter words they were essentailly worthless in healing anything.

Takumi had tricked her in order to steal a kiss from her. Therefore, she could only say one thing.

"Dumbass!" She shouted before giving him a dark black eye. When she realized she had actually injured him further, she grabbed an ice compressor and gave it to him. He held the pack of ice to his eye for the longest time before they both sat back down in their respective chairs. Akira refused to look the boy in the eye and instead stared straight at the checkerboard floor. She touched her lips lightly, remembering how they had felt during those times she had to force him to swallow medicine. But having him trick her felt so infuriating, frustrating, and strangely enough liberating at the same time.

"That was low, you know that right?" She finally spat her words to the boy, still avoiding eye contact.

"Yeah...I guess I shouldn't have tricked you like that." Takumi's voice seemed to soften a bit. It was sincere and honest, just the way she wanted it to be.

"There are other ways of getting that." She said, still touching her lips with her fingers.

"Like how?"

"Like asking." Akira whispered as she turned around and lightly pressed her lips onto his mouth. When she pulled back, Akira gave him a rough punch to his shoulder.

"Happy Valentine's Day, moron."

"Happy Valentine's Day." Simply, they both just sat there and held each other's hands.


End file.
